Top construction



Sept. 21, 1926. 1,600,512

H. S. PIERCE TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 7, 1925 INVENTOR HODGSO/V 5. P/EECE 'A'ITORNEY Patented Sept. 21, .1926.

UNITED STATES I I 1,000,512 PATENT OFFICE.

HODGSON S. PIERCE, 01 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDEBAKER COR- PORATION, 01 SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AND DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF NEW- J'EBSEY.

TOP CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 1, 1925. Serial 110. 1,044.

This invention relates to tops for motor vehicles and the like and particularly to tops of the permanent type, and constitutes an improvement over the construction shown and described in theapplication of Jose h H. Bourgon on top construction filed ovember 20, 1924; Serial Number 751,154.-

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a top of novel and improved construction, the main ortion of which is composed of sheet meta to make it strong and durable and to which other parts an members may be applied to form a permanent unitary structure.

Another object is to provide a top frame constructed mainly from a continuous sheet of metal having a sound absorbing or deadening lining therein so that the to of which it forms a part will not be sub ect to the drumming usually associated with tops of this type.

Another object is to provide a vehicle top frame constructed from a continuous sheet of metal and provided with a sound absorb ing or deadening lining, the upper portion of the top frame being provided with a plurality of openin s, and the metal displaced in the formin o the openings being formed tov clamp the ining in place against the top frame.

A further object is to providea vehicle top frame composed of a continuous sheet of metal provided with a linin of sound absorbing or deadening materia relatively large matching openings being provided in both the sheet metal and the lining, a portion of the metal displaced in forming the openings in the sheetmetal portion being bent back on itself to clamp the lining adj acent the openings therebetween, and another portion being downwardly bent to form attaching flanges for cross ribs or tacking strips. p Y

The above being among the objects of the present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with rcference'to the accompanying drawing, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in View. I

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates a suitable embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view of a finished automobile top, constructed in accordance w th the present invention, mounted upon an open type automobile body.

framefor the top shown in Figure 1.

F1gure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the frame in .Figure 2, taken through one of the openings in the frame and showing the manner in which the metal at the edge of the opening is bent back, on itself to secure the sound absorbing lining in place, and also showing the cross ribs or tacking strips for the top finishing lining secured in place.

Figure 4-is a transverse sectional view of the frame of Figure 2 taken through two of the openings.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the frame of Figure 2, taken through one of the rows of openings.

The top frame as shown in Figure 2 .is formed preferably from a. single continuous sheet of metal into the desired shape and contour, but in the following description and claims which will refer to the top frame as being constructed from a continuous sheet of metal, it will be kept in mind that the Figure 2 is a perspective view of'the top present invention is not limited to a metal ous s ieet of metal have had but a limited 1 use in the past due to the fact that these early designs had a tendenc to vibrate in unison to a highly objectiona 1e degree with other vibrations present in the automobile of which they formed a part, or with the explosions of the engine, in much the same way that a drum head may be made to vibrate in sympathy with independent vibrations. Such vibrating of the top is commonly known as drumming, and in'the resent invention a construction is provided t at cf factually eliminates this objection as it appeared in the tops heretofore used.

As above mentioned, the metalof the top frame 10 is formed from a continuous sheet of metal into the desired shape'and contour, that is, to the shape of conventional tops as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or otherwise, but preferably such that no 'flat spots are present anywhere on its surface to better eliminate any drumming sound that may develop. As illustrated in Figures .2 and 5, wooden front cross member 11 is provided in the construction shown to more easily secure a rainshield 12 or windshield 13 thereto, but thismay be dispensed with and the metal of the top 10 be extended to take its place. At frequent intervals in the upper and flattest surface of the frame 10 relatively large openings 14 are provided which tend to prevent the drumming of the top with the same result as is experienced when openings are cut in a drum head, that is, if the openings 14 are large enough they will substantially eliminate the greater part, if not all, of the vibrations in the top. In forming the openings 1a, the metal adjacent the edge thereof displaced in the operation of forming of the same is bent downwardly in the form of a flange 15 (see Figure 3) for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Against the under surface of the frame 10 is placed a sheet of sound absorbing or sound deadening material 16. This may be of any suitable material such as a relatively thick sheet of woodpulp formation, feltformation or other material which will have the same sound absorbing effect. may be formed to completely cover theinterior of the frame 10, but in the drawings as shown in Figures 4 and 5 it is shown as ex tending only a short distance into the curved side and end portions, this being considered all that is practically necessary in view of the fact that it is the fiat top portion of the frame 10 that is subject to the drumming sounds. The sheet 16 is provided with open ings therein matching the openings 14 in the-frame 10 and is placed in matching relation therewith and preferably glued in place over the entire matching surface. When the sheet 16 is thus placed in position, the downwardly turned metal flanges 15 around the edges of the openings 1.4 project through the openings in the sheet 16 and are bent back over the edge of the sheet 16, as shown in Figure 3, thus clamping the sheet 16 tightly against the inner surface of the frame 10 and thereby securely holding it in place against the frame 10. If the sheet 16 is of sufficiently rigid material and the edges are extended over onto the curved side portions of the frame 10 as shown in the drawings, not only will it act to deaden or absorb any drumming that may tend to be set up in the top, but it will also add to the stiffness and strength of the top due to the necessity of springing the sheet to bring it into contact with the frame 10 over its entire surface.

It is preferable that a portion of the flange 15 be split vertically from the rest of the This sheet 16 flange and left to project downwardly as at 17 in Figure 4 to provide a flange for-attaching a wooden strip such as 18 thereto, the wooden strip 18 acting either as a transverse strengthening rib or as a tacking strip for the top inner finishing lining 19, or as both. The strip 18 may be further secured in place by screws such as 20 passing vertically through the frame 10 and sheet 16 into the same.

It is further desirable that the lower edges rear supports 25, the rear supports 25 and a Suitable back sheathing being secured thereto so that they may be assembled as a unit with thetop to the body 23.

Formal changes may be made in the spe cific embodiment of the invention described without 'de arting from the spirit and substance of t e broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

1. In a vehicle top, a metal frame having a substantially horizontal top portion, integral curved sides, and a curved" rear (portion, sound absorbing material secure to said frame top portion, matching openings extending through said frame top and said material, the metal displaced in forming the openingsin said frame forming securing means for said material and a depending flange, a tackingstri secured to said flange and a lining secure to said tacking strip to conceal the same, said material and said openings.

2. A frame for a vehicle top formed from a continuous sheet of metal and lined with a sound deadening material, matching openings in said sheet metal and said'material, a portion of the metal displaced in forming the openings in said sheet of metal being bent out of the plane of said sheet, to secure said sound deadening material thereto and to form an attaching flange, a tacking stri secured to said flange, and a lining secure to said tacking strip.

3. A frame for a vehicle top formed from a sheet of metal and beingprovided with a sheet of sound absorbing material secured to the under surface thereof, matchin openings in said sheet of metal and sai mate rial, a portion of the metal displaced in forming the openings in said sheet of metal being bent down and back on itself to clamp said material therebetween, and another portion being bent downwardly to form an atand then back on itself thereby clamping taching flange. said material against said sheet metal, an-

4. A frame for a vehicle top having a conother portion of said displaced metal being tinuous sheet metal top portion lined With bent downwardly to form attaching flanges,

5 a sheet of sound deadening meaterial, said and transverse cross members secured to said 15 sheet metal and said material being provided flanges. with a plurality .of matching openings, a Signed by me at South Bend, Indiana, portion of the metal displaced in forming U. S. A., this 30th day of December 1924. the openings in said sheet metal being bent 30 downwardly to a point below said material HODGSON S. PIERCE. 

